"Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop)."

In the summer of 1996, Harry joined the Weasleys in shopping for the upcoming school year. Neither Harry nor Ron Weasley bought any ingredients at the Apothecary, as they thought they would not be studying Potions in the school year to come.[3]